During breast augmentation surgery, incisions are made under the breast (in the inframammary fold) and vessels are cut; the surgeon uses an electrocautery to stop any bleeding. Once vessels are cut, blood can no longer flow through and the blood inside the veins naturally clots, causing a mild local inflammation reaction within the veins. These veins become palpable and visible through the skin, looking like ‘cords’. These care called ‘Mondors Cords’. They can occur a couple of weeks after breast augmentation surgery and they look like vertical bands below the breast, running towards the abdomen. They aren’t painful, but can sometimes feel uncomfortable to tender to touch. The cords are harmless and temporary. The clots inside are not the same as the type of blood clots or deep vein thrombosis that can form in the legs or be harmful. What do I do if I have Mondors cords? Contact your surgeon so they are aware of your symptoms; they might ask you to come into the clinic for a review appointment, or if this isn’t possible, send photos of the affected area. Most patients don’t require treatment, but if you have mild discomfort, you might find a mild anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen and heat packs (warm not hot) might be helpful. Eventually the clots break down and are absorbed by the body, and the cords will spontaneously resolve; this can take several weeks to a few months....

I want to have fat liposuctioned out of my thighs and stomach, and put into my breasts and face to fill out my sagging skin. Is it possible to do this instead of having a breast augmentation and facelift? - patient Dr Sharp: Patients also often ask if liposuctioned fat can be injected into other parts of the body, or ‘fat grafted’. The best way to explain my approach to liposuction and fat grafting is that liposuction is all about volume of fat, where as fat grafting is all about quality of fat! I often take small amounts of fat from the stomach or thighs and place these in the face to fill out areas that have experienced volume loss. Likewise, for slim women who lack fat across their chest to soften the appearance of their breast implants, I often graft small amounts of fat around the periphery of implants, to create a more natural look and reduce the visibility of implant rippling. Unfortunately it’s not an easy case of liposuctioning large amounts of stomach fat and using it to build breasts that are two cup sizes bigger. This is because liposuction technology aims to remove the maximum amount of fat with the least amount of physical damage to surrounding tissues. And the best way to do that is to break down the fat as much as possible before extracting it. This damages the fat cells and inhibits their ability to regrow when transplanted into another area; so it’s not considered to be ‘good quality’ harvested fat. One of the biggest downfalls of fat grafting is the fact that some...

Breast lift (or mastopexy) surgery can be confusing: it’s often mistaken for breast reduction surgery and it’s sometimes recommended alongside a breast augmentation to ensure optimal results. What makes you a candidate for breast lift surgery instead of breast reduction, and in what circumstances should you consider a mastopexy with your augmentation? Style Magazines’ recent breast lift feature addressed some of the misconceptions about mastopexy surgery, answering some commonly asked questions about this transformative procedure. Journalist Siobhan Taylor spoke to Dr Sharp about the surgical process - as well as the risks, recovery and what makes someone an ideal candidate for breast lift surgery: While the breast lift (or ‘mastopexy’ as your doctor would say) sounds simple enough, there’s a lot going on under the surface that you may not be aware of. In fact, the details of the surgery are significantly different from that of a standard boob job altering everything from your initial consultation right through to the end results. Because we want everyone to have the tools to make an informed decision, we decided to speak with Dr David Sharp, a highly-regarded Brisbane-based FRACS credentialed plastic surgeon, to learn more about breast lifts. Assisted by a team of clinical and administrative professionals, Dr Sharp is highly sought after for his expertise and down-to-earth approach. We asked him six of the most common questions our readers have about breast lifts. Read the full article here! Is breast lift surgery right for you? Get in touch with our patient care team and find out more... Name Email Address Contact number I'd like to know more about... 12...

I want silicone implants for my augmentation, but I’m confused about the difference between gummy bear, cohesive gel and form stable implants. How do I choose the safest? - patient Dr Sharp: It’s good to hear you are thinking about these factors and how they may impact your breast augmentation surgery, as they are important pre operative considerations! Essentially all of the implants you mention come from the same ‘family’ of silicone implants. Implant manufacturers use words such as cohesive gel, form stable silicone and gummy bear implants to describe variants of the same thing; breast implants that contain a silicone that maintains its shape and consistency inside the body - and has a solid (rather than liquid or runny) consistency. This kind of silicone has been successfully used for many years - and in millions of patients. Most specialist plastic surgeons in Australia use modern implants that contain this gel. Breast implants are very strong and ruptures aren’t common, but even when cohesive gel implants do rupture, the gel stays inside the implant - hence the term ‘form stable’. Silicone implants have dramatically changed over the past 40 years; the original silicone gel that was used as early as the 1970s, consisted of a liquid gel. If the outer layer of the implant ruptured, the liquid would leak into the body. In 2006, cohesive gel implants became available in the United States. You may have heard them referred to as the “gummy bear implant”. The big difference between a liquid gel and cohesive gel is that the cohesive gel stays in one solid form if cut or ruptured, mimicking a gummy...

Style Magazines has released its list of Brisbane’s best breast augmentation surgeons. Dr Sharp was honoured to make the cut (hehe) along with some of Brisbane’s esteemed specialist plastic surgeons, discussing his approach to breast augmentation surgery and some of the things to consider if you are looking at having this procedure. The magazine drew particular attention to the importance of researching your breast augmentation surgeon thoroughly, to ensure they are qualified as a specialist plastic surgeon: No matter your reason for considering the treatment, it’s important to make sure you’re going to a qualified expert who can take the vision you have in your mind and make it a reality. If you’ve been thinking about breast augmentation – “Is it right for me? What’s the procedure like? Where do I start?” – then prepare to breathe a deep sigh of relief, because we’re helping you take your next step with confidence. Here’s our guide to some of the most trusted breast augmentation specialists in Brisbane. - Style Magazines Read the feature in full here! Have a question about breast augmentation surgery? Contact our friendly team! Name Email Address Contact number I'd like to know more about... 1 + 10 = Submit...

This is a small selection of our before and after photos from 2017! Thanks to all the lovely patients who permitted us to share their images this year, to help educate others about plastic surgery and the outcomes that can be achieved. Our patients come in all shapes, sizes and ages - and from the young to the mature aged, we believe it’s important to provide insight into the ‘real’ faces of plastic surgery; everyday patients! Despite the fact that much of what we see on social media probably reflects otherwise, the average plastic surgery patient is not a size 8 model with perfect breasts, a blogger’s body or celebrity with deep pockets; they’re everyday people investing in their health, wellbeing - and aligning how they look on the outside, with how they feel on the inside. This video provides an insight into the spectrum of procedures Dr Sharp performs every week. Happy New Year to all of our amazing patients, and thank you for making us part of your journey in 2017!...

If just the idea of a vigorous session of lunge-jumps makes you protectively clutch your breasts in pain, you aren’t alone. Nearly one in five women feel that the size of their breasts is an obstacle for exercise. Research conducted by the University of Portsmouth in 2014 revealed that 17% of surveyed women said their breasts discouraged them from participating in physical activity. Breasts were ranked the fourth highest barrier to exercise after “lack of energy, time constraints and health reasons”. Researchers found that breast size ranked above other obvious barriers, such as the cost of exercise or access to facilities. Many of Dr Sharp’s breast reduction patients have experienced chronic skin irritations, chaffing and sometimes infections or bleeding of the skin under the breasts due to excessive breast size, with these problems often being exacerbated by exercise. Large breasts can also cause chronic back and shoulder pain, compounding the discomfort involved with exercising. But it is because of these factors why exercise is so important for large-breasted women - a fact that frustrates many of our patients, who want to exercise to help build up core strength and posture, but are held back by the limitations that breast size imposes on their activity. Selecting the right sports bra can reduce the impact of exercise on breasts and surrounding tissues, but for some women, breast reduction surgery is the only way to reduce the strain that their breasts place on their bodies. Breast reduction surgery can also provide a sense of weight literally being ‘lifted’ off the chest, so that breathing feels easier and lighter when exercising. While patients are encouraged to undertake gentle...

People seek out plastic surgery for myriad reasons. For some, it’s the correction of a trauma, accident or genetic deformity - for others, it’s reconstructive surgery for skin or breast cancer; replacing what previous surgery has taken away. Others want to restore what time has take away; growing old gracefully - and retaining a ‘natural look’ while ensuring they look as good as they still feel on the inside. The health benefits of plastic surgery often go unmentioned in the world of glossy magazines that focus purely on cosmetic improvement, looking beyond the ‘skin deep’ image to see significant functional benefits, including: Rhinoplasty: can improve breathing and snoring Blepharoplasty: can improve vision Breast reduction and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): can improve back and neck pain Non surgical treatments such as cosmetic wrinkle injections can also have little-known medical benefits, such as reducing headaches and treating excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis). Plastic surgery alone will not improve your confidence or self esteem; but it can be one of many decisions people make to improve their self image and align the face (or body) they see in the mirror with how they feel on the outside. Elevated self esteem is associated with improved self confidence, which can have a powerful influence over relationships, job prospects and social networks; something noted by London economics Professor Daniel Hamermesh in his research into the link between appearance and employment. Although plastic surgery is often thought of as nip-and-tuck procedures that are purely driven by aesthetics, it can also be a powerful tool to resolve functional problems and improve overall health and wellbeing. It’s important to select a surgeon...

Reported by Anna Hartley | 6th April | Queensland Times: SOME might be quick to assume young women would make up most cosmetic surgery candidates. According to Ipswich plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr David Sharp, the majority of people who come to him for plastic surgery are in fact women in their 40s and 50s. The surgeon said the most common cosmetic procedures he performed were tummy tucks, breast reduction and augmentation surgery. “There is a large group of patients who have thought about having cosmetic surgery for years, usually females in their 40s or 50s who’ve had their children, who say, ‘I want to do something for myself now’.,” Dr Sharp said. “After skin cancer there is a lot of cosmetic stuff coming through and of that it’s mainly abdominoplasty, breast reductions, and breast augmentation.” Dr Sharp said his biggest concern when it came to cosmetic surgery was the trend of people choosing the “cheap” option. “The only people who are qualified to call themselves surgeons in Australia have to have a fellowship with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons,” he said. “My advice would be for cosmetic surgery candidates to really do their research. “I’ve heard some horror stories. The cheapest option is not necessarily the best.” Read the full article at The Queensland Times. ...

MEET DR DAVID SHARP

David is a Queensland trained Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon. He obtained Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons after undertaking eight years of specialist training in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery. He is a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons.